No. 112.] 701 



The American fleet, shattered and disabled, passing around the 

 northern point of the Island, attempted to escape to Crown Point, 

 enveloped in the fog of a dark and cloudy night. The earliest 

 dawn, revealed their retreat to the vigilant enemy, and an instant 

 pursuit ensued. 



In the obscurity of the hour, a solitary rock, standing in the 

 midst of the lake, and shrouded in the autumnal mist, was mista- 

 ken by the British, for a vessel of the American fleet, and a cannon- 

 ade was directed against it. The mariner of the lake, still calls 

 that rocky islet, ^« Carlton's prize." 



Arnold was overtaken near Otter cree-k, by the British fleet, 

 and in covering the retreat of the remainder of his squadron, 

 maintained with his single galley and five gondolas for another 

 four hours, a bloody and glorious combat. Determined to pre- 

 serve his vessels from becoming trophies to the enemy, he ran the 

 six ashore and blew them up. Their blackened fragments, for 

 many years remained upon the beach at Panton, memorials of his 

 gallantry and patriotism,longafter other deeds had stamped infa- 

 my upon his name. One galley only was taken, while the rest 

 of the fleet retreated to Tieonderoga. 



Gen. Carlton advanced no farther than Crown Point, which he 

 again occupied, and after spending a month in observing the move- 

 ments of the American army, and threatening an attack at Tieon- 

 deroga, returned to Canada with his troops. 



CHAPTER IX. 



FROM TIIK TEAR 1776 TO 1784. 



The colony upon the Boquet, had not remained amid these 

 eventful scenes, undi.sturbed by the tempest, which had swept 

 through the lake. Mr. Gilliland had espoused tlie cause of the 

 colonies with ardor and enthusiasm, and was early marked as an 

 object of ministerial vengeance.* In concert with men of conge- 

 nial sentiments, a military organization, enil)racing both shores 

 of Champlain, liad been formed immediately after the capture of 



* See hii memorial to OongrMd Lq the Appeodix. 



